Harry Potter and the OneShots
by shy-n-great
Summary: These are a bunch of one-shots that float around my head from time to time. I thought that I would share. They vary in category with different characters. First one is VERY short. Hope you enjoy.
1. I'll Never Leave

**Disclaimer:**I do not own these characters and never will.

**A/N:**This is a very very short one shot. It's how I think Lucius and Narcissa are together. If you have read my other stuff then I'm sure this will leave you confused but this is how I really do see Lucius with his wife, not how he is in A Light In The Darkest Shadow. Enjoy.

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**I'll Never Leave**

I sit up quickly, shocked at the pain stinging me. I'm wanted.

I look to my side to find her sleeping peacefully. Her hair falls over her face. I gently brush it away. Her eyelids flutter with her dreams.

My heart starts to break at having to leave her again. I never know if I'll come back.

The pain pushes harder, signalling I must go. I lie back down and cuddle up to her. She wraps her arms around me. I cherish this moment, knowing it could be our last together.

I kiss her forehead, her eyelids, nose, cheeks and then a lingering kiss on her soft lips. It's my little ritual that I do before I have to go. It gets harder to leave everytime.

She pulls me closer to her, holding tightly.

"Don't keep him waiting." She whispers to me.

"I love you with everything that I am." I tell her before getting out of bed.

"I love you with everything that I can be." She replies sleepily.

I quietly get dressed and before I leave, I give her one more kiss.

"Never leave us, Lucius." She pleads. Knowing exactly what she means, I'm quick on the reply.

"I'll always be next to you both, Narcissa. Raise our son well." I tell her as I may not get the chance again. Then I leave into the night, doing what is right for the world.


	2. My First Day

**Disclaimer:** I can tell you that I do own Harry Potter but then I would be lying.

**A/N:**Thanks to **Super** and **Peanuts** for reviewing my last oneshot. I'm posting this one but to be honest with you, I think it's the worst thing I have ever written. I was trying to capture Harry's excitement at entering into the magical world but it just doesn't work. Feel free to flame this one, might even do it myself.

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**My First Day**

The day I saw a letter addressed to me was one of the happiest days of my life. It felt like I finally belonged in this world and someone out there knew I existed.

Then Dudley had to ruin everything. I thought uncle Vernon was going to have a mental breakdown when more started arriving for me.

I'll never forget seeing magic being done for the first time. It was fantastic. A pig's tail was really becoming of Dudley. It was also the first time I had met Hagrid. He was the first person to be nice to me.

It was wonderful seeing Diagon Alley for the first time. All those magical shops, I didn't know which way to look first.

I couldn't believe it when I saw all the money my parents had left me. It made it more real to me that they had actually existed. I had no memories of them so they had always seemed made up. It was even better hearing someone talk to me about them.

Sadly that day of shopping ended and it seemed like an eternity before it was time to go to my new school. It scared me a little though. When I saw the train ticket, I thought it was one big joke being played on me. Platform nine and three quarters just didn't exist in any station, never mind at King's Cross station. Or so I thought.

It was such a relief when the Weasley family walked past me and I caught Mrs Weasley mentioning the word 'muggle.'

The train journey was fun. I met both my best friends for the first time, Ron and Hermione. Although, I thought Hermione was just annoying at the time. It wasn't until Halloween that we silently became best friends. That train ride was also the first time I got to try out magical food and sweets. It was amazing to know that there was this whole other world and I never knew it existed.

When we were waiting to go into the Great Hall to be sorted into our houses, I was sure I was going to have to go back to the Dursley's. Ron thought we would have to battle something thanks to his twin brothers. Someone else said that we would have to perform magic and having never done magic before, I had no idea how I was going to do it. Imagine my relief when I saw it was the sorting hat that placed us into our houses.

The feast was amazing. It was my first decent meal that I could remember having. There was every type of food imaginable. Just when I thought I was about to burst from being so full, pudding appeared.

Later on, when we were all in bed, I found I couldn't sleep. My first day at Hogwarts had been great. I had made friends. I had seen ghosts for the first time, and moving paintings. People knew who I was before I even had to introduce myself.

I had all these emotions whirring around me stopping me from sleeping. I got up and sat at the window for a little while, just thinking about everything that had happened in such a short time. My life had taken a turn for the better. It was then that I realised something.

I was finally home.


	3. Love Springs From Tragedy

**Disclaimer:**I promise that I don't own the green eyed boy or his comrades.

**A/N:**Thanks to everyone who has reviewed my other one-shots. This loooooong bit of nonsense was something that I couldn't stop writing today. It's long-winded, dreary and I believe there is some OOCness. But give it a shot if you have the time. If it helps, it's a **SS/HG**. Let me know what you think.

**Love Springs from Tragedy**

She looked around at her surroundings. There was devastation everywhere. Hogsmeade was in disarray. There were buildings burning, some had huge gaping holes, others had been completely blasted away. There were people lay all over the place, an expression of horror on their face; dead.

Hermione caught her reflection in the window of a burning building that had once been Zonko's. Her hair was tied back with thick bits of hair coming loose. It was completely covered in grey dust. Every limb was bleeding from numerous cuts. She felt a sharp pain on her back and when she turned round to inspect her reflection over her shoulder, she found a deep, jagged gash that went from her right shoulder to her left hip. She turned back round to look at herself once more. Her clothes were tattered and scorched. She noticed a bruise forming round her left cheek bone. She couldn't take her hand away quick enough when she gingerly touched the bruise only for it to erupt in pain.

A single tear fell down her face, washing away a line of dirt and blood as it trickled down. She steadily began to walk down the street checking the bodies as she went along. There were a few others doing the same as her, all in the same state too.

Her heart began to grow heavy with sorrow as she found more and more bodies that were her friends. Lavender was the first one she had found. The Creevey brothers, Susan Bones, Dean and Cho were on the list of bodies she had found too. She had found a few students from the year below her as well but she couldn't put names to them. She refused to look at the bodies after a while; she couldn't take it any more. Instead, she concentrated on the people that were moving about and who she recognised. They were all strangers.

"Hermione?" An Irish voice broke the silence in the street. She spun round to find Seamus. tears were streaming down his face and appeared as though he was ready to collapse. "It's over?......Is it really over?" She pulled him into a tight embrace, both flinching as unseen wounds had pressure applied to them from the contact.

"It's over, he's gone." She whispered gently into his ear. She pulled away and guided him to a safe spot on the pavement he could sit. "You stay here. I'm going to see if I can find anyone else." He nodded feeling nothing but numbness.

She looked around, a plan instantly forming in her mind of what was to be done with the chaos. There was time for these atrocities to sink in and cry about them later. She took her wand out from her front jeans pocket. Treading carefully, she made her way over to the nearest person who didn't look too battered.

"Hi," She timidly touched the man's arm. He was young looking, mid-twenties she guessed. He was tall and lean, and she could only guess what colour hair he had as it was covered in thick grey dust. He looked at her with pained blue eyes. "Are you okay?" He shook his head wildly, causing dust to fall off his hair.

"I can't find my wife." He cried. Hermione smiled sympathetically as she gently rubbed his arm.

"I'm sure she's fine and searching for you." She unconvincingly reassured him. He nodded. "My name's Hermione."

"Alpheus, but I prefer to be called Alphie." He shook her hand feebly.

"Well, Alphie, we need to do something with this chaos and it doesn't look like anyone from the ministry will be here anytime soon. Would you mind helping me?"

"Anything to stop myself going mad. I'm so worried about her." He rubbed his face roughly and glanced around the devastation.

"It'll help to keep busy while you wait to hear from her." He nodded again. Words were useless to him; he just needed to find his wife. She paused before carrying on with her instructions. "People need to be found and we can't do it while these bodies have no names." She spoke quickly, cutting off her emotions in the process.

"What should we do with them?" He took her lead and let a numbness fall over him. Hermione looked around and found a building a few metres away that wasn't on fire and looked safe. She pointed it to him.

"The bodies will be put in there, if they can be named then do so in any way you can." He had a blank expression on his face. "Can you do that, Alphie?" He snapped out of it. His first thought had been that he couldn't do it, what if he found friends or family or his wife. But then he realised, they needed to be found if they were dead, they would need a proper burial with every knowing why they had died. He gave her a last look before walking over to the building she had pointed at.

Hermione walked to the centre of the street, carefully avoiding standing on anyone. She pointed her wand at her throat and muttered '_Sonarus_'.

"Could I have everyone's attention please?" She began timidly with her voice booming through the streets. People stopped moving and stood still to look at her. "Could anyone who is fit enough and willing to help please gather round here." She took the spell off her throat as everyone who was standing moved towards her. Once they were all stood around her, she began to give instructions to them all. When she had finished, everyone began doing the things she had asked them to. It overwhelmed her that they were doing this, it could only be the shock of what had happened stopping them from refusing to help.

Hermione watched for a moment as people scattered. Some started helping Alphie with the bodies. Three of them went to the end of the street, ready to look after the casualties who couldn't help. The rest began searching the streets for anyone alive. Out of all the people, she recognised no one. Where were her friends? Surely they had survived this battle.

She started to search for people who needed help. She went through the buildings and side streets. She found many people who were alive, and to her horror, she had even found two young girls who had gotten caught in the cross-fire. They were huddled in Madam Puddifoot's café, waiting for their dad to come back.

Slowly the street became clear of bodies, buildings were no longer on fire and there were many people being reunited with family. But there were also many who broke down when they saw their loved one's body. She went to check the casualties and found the volunteers were struggling with the numbers. She pulled a golden feather out of her pocket. Dumbledore had given one to her and the other Order members should they be seriously injured.

"Fawkes, I need your help." She whispered to it. She heard a clear cry in the distance as she put the feather back in her pocket. She watched as Fawkes came into view and finally landed on her outstretched arm. "Think you can help some of them?" He nudged her gently before jumping to the ground.

She did one more search of the buildings before she made the trip she had been putting off. It was the unenviable task of putting names to bodies. She didn't want to be one of the many people who broke down. She wasn't ready for the heartache. Gradually, she made her way over to the building where all the bodies were. She found Neville Longbottom, Charlie Weasley and Tonks. There were a few others that she could put names to but didn't really know them. She felt tears sting her eyes but she pushed them back; now was not the time to cry over the loss of her friends.

Hermione stepped back outside, pulling the other volunteers out with her. She felt the cool summer air begin to cool. She walked to the centre of the street once more while placing 'Sonarus' on her voice.

"It's getting dark and cold, so could everyone start making their way to Hogwarts. You have all been truly amazing and now need some food and sleep." There were relieved faces everywhere at the thought of not having to be in this wreck any more. She waited until the last person was now making their way to the school. She turned around on the spot, taking one last look. The town was devastated but this was the beginning of a new life. A safe life.

Hermione made everyone go into the Great Hall. Anyone who were still seriously injured were taking straight up to the hospital wing, she would contact St. Mungo's soon to get them help. Once everyone had settled at the tables, she went down to the kitchens.

The house elves were all stood at the windows, looking outside for people. As soon as she had stepped in the room, they all raced around her and eagerly waited fro instructions. They had offered their services to the war but Dumbledore refused and made them stay put. She slowly bent down to their level.

"Is miss okay? Miss is bleeding." A sweet female began pointing at her cuts. She smiled as she took her hand to stop her.

"It's fine. Voldemort is dead. It's over and you're safe." She cried in pain when all the small bodies rushed forward to hug her. They instantly backed away, feeling ashamed. "It's okay, I'm fine." She reassured them, hiding the agony that was rushing through her body. "But there are some people upstairs who need food and drink. Could you send some up to them?" Before she had finished her sentence they were already racing around to send food upstairs. She quietly left the kitchen and made her way up to the hospital wing.

She found a middle aged woman carefully dabbing healing potion onto a young girl's arm. The young girl was unconscious and had a serious wound on her head. She whispered to the older woman to go downstairs and get some food. The woman was grateful for the break. Where was Madam Pomfrey when you needed her?

Hermione made her way over to the fireplace at the end of the wing and flooed to the hospital. She raced over to the receptionist and before she could say anything, a Healer had come out of no where and was pulling her to a ward to be healed.

"NO! STOP! I'm fine." The healer stopped pulling her. "I needed more Healers and I need them to come to Hogwarts now. There are people there who need treatment now." The Healer nodded and without a word, dashed off to get help. She went back to the fireplace in the reception and flooed back to Hogwarts, ready for the Healers.

They arrived a few minutes after her with stretchers and supplies. The only female of the Healers went straight to Hermione. She was tall and reminded her of McGonagall except her face was a lot younger looking and she had blonde hair that was tied loosely into a clip.

"What happened to all these people?" She demanded in a cold voice. Hermione frowned. The war had ended this morning after almost twenty four hours of constant fighting with Death Eaters and Voldemort and she didn't know. How had word not gotten out?

"There was a battle in Hogsmeade. The whole town is devastated and Voldemort is dead." She explained in a flat tone. All the Healers came to a standstill at what she had just said. She glanced around at the amazed faces. "How could you have not heard? All that devastation and you didn't know? It only stopped this morning when Harry killed Voldemort. We had been fighting for a whole day and night and you hadn't heard anything about it?" Her voice was getting louder and louder.

"Harry? Not as in Harry Potter?" The McGonagall Healer asked her. She nodded trying to calm herself.

"Look, just help these people. There are enough dead people in Hogsmeade without adding to them." She told them coldly. Was this Fudge's doing? Keeping it secret and hope it will disappear.

She went back down to the Great Hall after the injured people had been taken away. She found every one chatting quietly as they ate. She decided to go to Dumbledore's office and send word to the ministry. She was still astounded at the fact the Healers knew nothing of the war.

Her letter was brief and to the point. She took her time flooing over to the ministry. She was beginning to feel every cut on her body, she was even wondering if some of her bones were broken it was that painful to now move. She stepped out of the fireplace into the extravagant foyer of the ministry. She paused for a moment while she caught her breath, the transfer here hadn't exactly agreed with her beaten body.

Her footsteps echoed as she walked over to the reception desk. The foyer was deserted which was to be expected as everyone would be at home now. She left the letter on the receptionist side of the desk with clear instructions to give it straight to the Minister.

Hermione was sat at the head table, watching the dozens of sleeping people on the floor in sleeping bags. It looked just like that time Sirius had broken into the school and all the students had to sleep there.

Loneliness was engulfing her quickly. She looked out through the window to see the first rays of morning sun peeking through. She hadn't slept in three days now. She slowly poured herself some pumpkin juice, her arm protesting at being used. Her whole body was stiff and just the smallest of movements crippled her. She bit down hard on her bottom lip as she placed the jug back down. She was still in the same clothes and still covered in dirt and blood. The others had gotten a shower and repaired their clothes, but not her, she couldn't think about herself until her friends showed up.

Her heart skipped a beat when she heard a creak from the doors at the end of the Great Hall. She saw Dumbledore slowly walk into the room and spot her. He motioned for her to come out. She almost cried when she stood up and tears were threatening to spill over as she walked to him.

"You are in such a mess, my child. Why have you not gone to St. Mungo's?" She scowled at him.

"Where is everyone?" She snapped, feeling her temper rise. He looked tired and his age was showing, but she couldn't care less. He had left her and everyone else to fend for themselves without so much as a word that he was safe.

"They're waiting outside. We couldn't find you, Hermione. We thought you were dead when you never answered our calls." He explained to her. Her anger deepened even more.

"That is not the point. You disappeared, left me to presume you dead. And what's more, you left all those people without sending help. You at least owe me the explanation of where you have all been and why the public don't seem to know what has happened." She kept her voice low but it got fiercer with each word. She felt so let down by him.

"I understand you are angry and I will explain to you, but we need you to come to the ministry with us." She felt herself reeling in shock. How could he expect her to go anywhere in this state? She could barely take a step without feeling like she was about to throw up.

"NO! I AM NOT GOING ANYWHERE!" She had finally snapped. What was wrong with this man?

"Hermione, we have to inform the ministry of everything while it is still fresh in our minds. We have a portkey outside waiting for us." She understood perfectly now; he was more interested about this victory over Voldemort rather than the people who had survived. She gritted her teeth and nodded as she forced her body to take the necessary steps to get her outside.

"HERMIONE!" Harry, Ron and Ginny shouted as they raced up the stairs to her. She took a step back from them. She wasn't ready for an emotional reunion until they had all explained to why they had just left.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked as they came to a halt in front of her.

"Just don't." She warned them, her voice icy. They watched her as she struggled to walk to the log-portkey that the rest of the group were stood around. She looked around to see the concerned faces of Snape, McGonagall, Lupin, Mr and Mrs Weasley, Bill, the twins and a few members of the Order she hadn't got to know yet. She had yet to tell Mrs Weasley that Charlie had been found and was dead.

"You don't look well, Miss Granger." Snape stated without a hint of concern in his voice.

"Don't I?" She asked sarcastically. "When does it go?" She ignored the raised eyebrow Snape gave her.

"Albus, she's a mess and needs care. You can't make her go like that." Lupin stated to Dumbledore as he moved to Hermione. She moved away from him.

"I'm fine. Can we just go?" She enunciated each word carefully and through gritted teeth. Dumbledore nodded as he stepped into the circle with Harry, Ron and Ginny. Hermione found herself placed between Snape and McGonagall with both of them watching her carefully. They all pushed forward trying to touch the log and there was a familiar pull behind her naval as she was lifted off the ground. She felt a murmur escape her lips, she thought she would pass out from the pain, and then she landed with a hard thud in the foyer of the ministry.

She felt Snape catch her and hold her for a second while she waited for the spinning to stop.

"Are you sure you're feeling well?" He whispered into her ear. She glared at him before pushing his arms away. She followed Dumbledore over to the reception, noticing that the foyer was filled with ministry members chatting excitedly. It was a completely different scene to the one she had seen just a few hours ago.

"Mr Fudge is expecting you in his office." The receptionist droned as they approached her desk. She handed them all some badges. "Put these on and go straight up." Hermione didn't fight the help she got off Ginny to put her badge on. She felt her blood boiling at the ignorance of the group. No one had even gone to speak the crowd of people asleep in the Great Hall.

She spent the next hour rigidly still to stop the pain while everyone gave their accounts of what had happened. She listened as she found out that they had chased Death Eaters that had escaped. She listened to how they had taken them to Azkaban, and then gone to St. Mungo's not long after Hermione had the Healers take the injured from the school. They had overheard a Healer mention Hermione's name and survivors at Hogwarts. That was when they went to the school.

She then gave her version of events, each word with venom that Fudge had managed to cover this up and keep it from the public. He had known it was happening all along and stopped people from helping because they would talk and then Muggles would need their memories wiping. She was furious at her friends for not staying and helping.

As soon as she had finished, she got up and left, using all of her energy to hide the pain from showing on her face and crying out. She went straight back to the reception and flooed back to the school. She stepped out of the fireplace in Dumbledore's office and went to the Great Hall as quickly as she could.

There were a few people who were awake and chatting quietly. She gave them a weak smile as she walked stiffly towards the head table. She took a few deep breaths before calling for everyone to wake up. Finally they were all awake and listening.

"Morning everyone," She started softly, "Now that you are all rested, I believe it is time to go home and be with your friends and family. I can't thank you enough for your help and I will never forget it." They all started to get up, knowing that she was right. They had so much to fix in their lives and it was no use delaying the inevitable. A few went to her thank her for being strong and keeping things organised. A few offered to take her to St. Mungo's for treatment but she kindly refused. She observed them as they started to leave the hall. The younger people there were taken home by the adults and people who still had family missing went home with friends they had made the previous night.

The last person to leave was Seamus who offered her a place at his home for a few days. She thanked him for his kindness but she needed her parents right now. Not long after he had left, Dumbledore appeared at the entrance. He sighed as he sat down next to her at the head table.

"I apologise, Hermione. You're right, my dispute with Lord Voldemort got in the way of logical thinking. I made this mistake with Harry and I've now done it with you." He took her hand into both of his. She should have been surprised that he knew what she had been thinking but she wasn't, she had grown accustomed to it over the years. "Can you forgive an old fool for abandoning you?" She finally let her tears from the past three days fall. She couldn't even sob properly because it hurt too much. "Are you ready to see your friends yet?"

He got up and helped her to the Entrance Hall where Harry, Ron, Ginny, Snape and Mrs Weasley were waiting. She screamed bloody murder when Mrs Weasley buried her into a hug. Shocked, the plump woman jumped back.

"I'm sorry," She sobbed, "I'm a little sore. I'll be fine once I get a shower."

"No wonder, look at the state of you. And look at that cut on your back." She walked round Hermione a few times. "You need to be seen to."

Then she remembered. "I'll be fine but there is something I have to tell you."

"It's okay, dear, I know about Charlie. He died a hero along with many others." Hermione frowned as she looked at the tear stained face of Mrs Weasley. "They posted a list up in the foyer of the ministry."

"Hermione please let us take you to the hospital." Harry pleaded with her. She looked at him and found he suddenly looked older than his seventeen years, so did Ron.

"Please stop fussing. I just need to……" She found she couldn't say anymore as the room had started to spin. She tried to concentrate on the black of Snape's robes but it didn't help. She felt herself falling when everything went black.

"Come, Severus, a trip to the hospital is in order. The rest of you go to Grimmauld Place, I'll be along later." Dumbledore instructed everyone.

Hermione woke up to find everything in her sight a brilliant white. She quickly sat up and found herself on a ward with Snape reading in a chair next to her bed.

"What happened?" She demanded as she shifted to face him.

"Welcome back to the land of the living, Miss Granger." He said while still looking at his book. "You've been unconscious for two days now and it's no wonder with the damage that had been done to you." He closed his book with a firm snap and met her gaze. She looked blank.

"I had a few cuts and bruise, that's to be expected when you get hit with a dozen curses and have part of a building land on you." She explained to him as though he were a two year old. He gave her a smirk.

"Ever the martyr, a few cuts and bruises indeed. It was any wonder you had been able to stand, let alone help people and stay standing for a further twenty four hours." She gave him a raised eyebrow to raise his own. A silence past between them while she began to take in how badly injured she was, and finally asked him what her injuries were.

"How bad was it?" She bit her lip while waiting for the answer. His smirk grew wider as he watched her do a trait that had become familiar with her when she was worried.

"You had numerous fractures; your wrists, ankles, ribs. You even had a clean break at the top of your humerus. You had internal damage but were lucky enough not to have any bleeding." He stood up and traced a small line from her left eyebrow to the start of her hairline. "You had a fracture there." Her eyebrows instantly disappeared into her hair. He sat back down, all traces of his smirk gone. "You're very lucky to be alive, Hermione." Just as her eyebrows had come back down, they were up again.

"I'm surprised you haven't taunted me for attention seeking yet." She said sardonically. "And since when have I been Hermione to you?"

"Since I've come to admire you and your strength to keep going in the toughest of times." She blinked hard in astonishment. Had she just stepped into an alternate universe or was Snape under the Imperius? "There's something I have to tell you." He leant forward and took one of her hands. She was in so much shock that she didn't know what to do. She had momentarily lost all her mechanics and ability to think. "I have come to love you this past year, Hermione and when we thought you were dead, it broke my heart to think of not seeing you again." Her mouth opened and closed a few times before she found her communication skills.

"But….but…..but you hated me. You were cruel to me." Then they failed her again. Her mind refused point blank to register what was happening.

"That's my way of dealing with someone I respect. I respect Harry and Ron too. I even envied you. You had the friendship I had never had in school." He squeezed her hand to encourage her to speak.

"I don't know what to say. You never gave any hint of this before."

"You were my student up until two weeks ago, I couldn't." He sighed deeply as he began to accept she didn't feel the same. "I understand that you don't love me in return. It was imperative to my sanity that I let you know."

"I don't know how I feel." She told him honestly. She had always respected him, came close to hating him a few times too, but she wasn't sure about how she truly felt. He watched her hopefully as a whole range of emotions flickered across her face. Then a light bulb came on in her brain. "I read somewhere that if you ask a list of questions really quickly then you will get the truthful answer out of the person being quizzed."

"What does this have to do with the situation?" She sat back in the chair, letting go of her hands as he did.

"You need to ask me a list of random questions and somewhere in the middle you ask me what my feelings are. It's a little harsh but it will give us the desired effect." She was a little unsure of the idea herself, she didn't want to hurt him if she didn't feel the same.

"Surely you would like to think about this first."

"No, life's too short and this battle proved it. We need to know now so that we can move on, whatever the outcome." She bluntly told him. He nodded, she was right, she always was. He prepared himself for the pain before asking the first question.

"What do you prefer, owl or cat?"

"Cat."

"Boy or girl?"

"Girl."

"Lake or mountain?"

"Lake."

"What is your favourite colour?"

"Blue."

"What's your favourite time of day?"

"Mornings."

"What's your middle name?"

"Jane."

"Do you have any siblings?"

"No."

"Have you ever stolen from my storage cupboard?"

"Yes."

"How many letters are in the alphabet?"

"Twenty six."

"How many children do you want?"

"Two."

"Do you have names for them?"

"Alison and Richard."

"Do you love me?"

"Yes."

"Since when?"

"When I did that potion with you for Remus." She gasped at what she had said.

"Will you marry me?"

"Yes." She gasped again with a small smile playing on her lips. Why had she never realised these feelings? '_Because you were too busy being a bookworm!_' A voice shouted in her mind. She looked at Snape to find him grinning like a maniac. "I've never seen you smile before."

"Don't become too accustomed to it; I have a reputation to uphold." He stood up and gently held her face as he placed a soft kiss on her lips. "We're not having Richard for a boy." He informed her as he pulled away.

"We'll negotiate." She laughed as his left eyebrow went up. "What will Harry and Ron say?"

"They're actually having what seems to be a fit over by the entrance." Her head snapped towards the entrance to find them giving Snape a round of applause. "We've become quite acquainted while you slept." He whispered into her ear. "They also gave me a firm warning that if I didn't inform you of my feelings then I would be expecting a visit from the Weasley twins accompanied with some of their stock." She giggled at the thought of Fred and George doing unspeakable things to Snape.

"I'm never letting you go." He told her sincerely. "You broke my heart when I couldn't find you and I won't let you do it again."

"I promise never to break your heart as long as you don't break mine. It can be fragile at the best of times, especially since we have lost so many friends." He nodded.

"It's agreed. Now how about we get married today?"

"I think I can make it." She teased him.


	4. When Accidents Happen

**Disclaimer:**Yada yada yada, Ms Rowling.

**A/N:** This has to be the worst I've ever written but I'm putting it up anyway. I suggest you run right now if you don't want to read something this crappy. I've not checked my grammar and spelling either. Anyway, if you continue to read on then don't say I haven't warned you.;-)

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**When Accidents Happen**

Remus was walking up the stairs of Grimmauld Place while Hermione was on her way down. She felt herself miss a step but couldn't stop herself. Remus, with his wolf reflexes, dashed forward to catch her. However, Hermione's fall was quite forceful and they went down together.

It was only them two in the house so no one was there to rescue them or hear the fall. The fall was slow enough for Remus to whisper in to her ear, "Relax your body." Hermione closed her eyes and let herself go limp; it was a lot easier than she thought it would be.

Remus was the first to hit the stairs with a loud thud, while Hermione had been knocked unconscious on the way down thanks to the side of her head hitting the wall. The whole motion was ungraceful and dizzying; their limbs were now entwined with each other.

By the time they had reached the bottom of the stairs they were both unconscious. Hermione was lay on her back with her right arm above her head and her left arm tucked under Remus. Her legs were at awkward angles on the stairs. Remus was lay on his front with half of him covering Hermione. He had his left arm wrapped tightly round Hermione's waist with his head tilted towards hers. If it hadn't been for the fact that they had just fallen down the stairs, it almost looked like they were a couple taking a nap together.

Remus groaned as he woke up, the aches instantly hitting him. He kept his eyes closed while he moved each limb about in inch to see if there was any major damage. He stopped at his left arm when he felt it gripping something. He opened his eyes and gasped a little when he saw Hermione's face next to his own.

He moved to get up but stopped when he realised he didn't want to. All summer he had longed to be this close to her, it was just a shame that it had to be like this. He held his breath as he gently kissed her on the lips. As he started to pull away Hermione began to wake up. He started to get up himself but was shocked when her right hand came down and gripped his arm around her waist. His heartbeat picked up it's pace.

"It hurts when you move," she groaned while she opened her eyes. His heart felt dejected. She smiled sheepishly when she saw how close he was. The truth was she didn't want him to move because she liked the way he held her.

"Where does it hurt?" he whispered gently to her as he placed his head back on the ground.

"Everywhere but I don't think anything's broken," she whispered back. They stared at each other for a moment before anyone spoke. "I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"No, just a few bumps and grazes," he told her. Finally he broke the little cocoon that had formed around them. He didn't trust himself to be in that position with her any longer. She had shown no signs of returning his feelings so why should he pursue it? "We should get up now, get cleaned up."

"I would," she giggled, "but you're lying on me." He blushed furiously as he took his arm away from her waist and lifted himself up. She winced at being moved so roughly but pushed the pain to one side as she let him help her up. She felt so upset for having to get up. She kept hold of his hands for a few seconds longer when she was stood up. She looked into his eyes to see a range of emotions flowing through them. '_He feels the same way,_' a voice screamed in her head. Then something hit her; she hadn't been dreaming.

Remus let go of her hands and walked into the kitchen. He had barely made it through the doorway when he heard her say something that made him backup and turn around.

"What did you say?" he questioned, his heart racing. What was he going to do?

"I felt you kiss me," she repeated, feeling a little unsure of herself. She had wanted this so much over the summer and she wasn't about to pass it up. She just had to hope that what she saw in his eyes she hadn't misread. Another blush crept up on to Remus' cheeks as he hung his head in shame.

"I'm sorry, Hermione, I shouldn't have done that. It's just….." His voice trailed off as he struggled to find the words to tell her that he loved her with all her heart. He braced himself for rejection before lifting his head back up. His eyes widened a little as he saw her slowly walking towards him. She stopped in front of him and they both looked down as she took his hand in hers. She then lifted her head to look at him.

"Don't be sorry," she whispered with a quiver in her voice.

"Really?"

"Really."

Before anymore could be said, Remus was kissing Hermione with all the energy he had. There attention was on each other and no one else, so it was safe to say that they didn't notice Mr and Mrs Weasley enter with Ron, Harry, Ginny, Fred and George.

"It's about time," Harry cheered as the crowd walk past them into the kitchen. They pulled apart, shocked at the interruption.

"Fred, you owe me a Galleon. I told you it'd be today," George bragged. Hermione and Remus frowned while everyone moved around in the kitchen doing different things.

"You've been betting on us?" Hermione questioned. Their response was an annoyed Fred throwing a gold coin at George. "Why've you been betting on us?"

"Because it's fun. Besides, you two were taking that long to admit your feelings that we had to do something to keep us going over the summer," Ron chirped in.

Hermione looked at Remus who gave her a shrug of his shoulders; he was as surprised as her. Mrs Weasley suddenly stopped putting the dishes away and walked over to them. She turned Hermione round and then Remus.

"What one earth happened? You two look awful and you've got cuts all over you," she scolded as she dragged them over to the table to sit.

"We fell down the stairs," they said in unison. Everyone in the kitchen now stopped what they were doing.

"So let me get this right," Harry started, "It took you both to fall down the stairs to realise that you like each other?" They looked at each other and then nodded in response.

"If I had known that, I could have pushed them down myself and won the bet," Fred growled.

"You two are weird, do you know that?" Ron laughed.

"A shock to the system is always the best way to find out how a person feels," Mr Weasley told them all as he poured himself some tea.


	5. Revenge Is More Than Sweet

**Disclaimer:** You know the score, JK Rowling - Harry Potter, Moi - Nowt.

**A/N:** Thanks to **SongOfStars**, **PadfootsLuvr**, and **Chantal J** for reviewing the last one. I have another crappy one to torment you with now. You'll have to forgive me, I'm suffering from writer's block and am grasping at crappy stories to keep me going. This one is a HG/SS one. Read on if you must-).

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**Revenge Is More Than Sweet**

"Argh," a female voice cried out in the darkness.

"Who's that?" a male voice questioned while trying to work out what had just happened.

"Who's that?" she questioned back while rubbing the elbow that had collided with the wall.

"I asked first," he snapped.

"Your point being?" she snapped back. She could feel him dangerously close to her, almost standing on her toes.

"Just answer the question," he growled.

"Only if you take your hand off my bottom," she demanded.

"My hand is not on your bottom," he lifted his hands up and placed them on what he assumed as the female's shoulders. "My hands are now firmly on your shoulders."

"No they're not," a firm male voice answered. "They're on mine, and I do apologise for my hand."

"You've apologised yet it's still there," she told him. She instantly felt the hand leave.

"Where are we?" the first male questioned while trying to fold his arms in the small personal space he had left.

"What happened?" the female asked while leaning back on to the wall behind her.

"You're doing it again," the first male huffed indignantly.

"What!" she cried in annoyance.

"Answering my question with a question. It's becoming irritating," he informed her.

"Don't let me stop you having a lover's tiff." The smile from the second male could be heard quite clearly in his voice.

"I beg your pardon," the first male shouted.

"QUIET!" the female shouted. "Let's start with names. I'm Hermione."

"Just my luck, I'm stuck in a……what are we stuck in?" The first male queried.

"A cupboard, I think," Hermione answered politely.

"In a cupboard with an insufferable know-it-all," the first male finished off.

"And it's nice knowing you too, Professor Snape," Hermione hissed. "And who are you?" She nudged the second male stood next to her.

"Remus Lupin at your service," the second male answered. Hermione thanked her blessings that it was dark so that no one could see her blush.

"I can't believe you had your hand on my bottom," she almost whispered.

"I did apologise for that," he replied. There was a moments silence before anyone spoke.

"I know I arrived here first because I had more room than this to move and I got here with a portkey," Hermione explained to them without prompt.

"Portkey for me as well and I must have been last because I felt you both when I arrived," Remus told them.

"I arrived by portkey too, but it was meant to take me to the Ministry," Severus snapped.

"Me too," Hermione and Remus said in unison.

"Wait a minute, I've just realised something," Hermione growled. "I'll kill them."

"Kill who?" Remus was intrigued by her sudden turn in mood.

"I saw Fred and George lurking round the cupboard we keep the Portkeys in. I thought nothing of it, but they had to have done something to them," she told them.

"This is why I refuse to sleep in the same building as those bloody twins," Severus growled dangerously. Hermione shrieked when she felt Remus roughly swap places with her.

"What did you do that for?" She demanded while rubbing her arms where he had roughly grabbed her.

"He tends to swing out when Fred and George are being spoken about. But if a girl is next to him then he'll keep his fists to himself," Remus whispered to her.

"You'd be surprised how much better your hearing becomes when your sight has been prohibited," Severus icily informed them. Hermione shook her head, they were worse than girls when they argued. She started to feel along the wall in front of her for a door or anything that would get them out.

"You're on my foot, Hermione," Remus informed her. She tried to step forward but she hit her forehead on the wall, putting a stop to her moving at all. Remus held her steady while she waited for the dizziness to pass. "What exactly are you doing?"

"More than you two," she snapped as she edged round Remus and felt her way along the next wall. "I'm looking for a door." The two men followed suit and started to search their surroundings.

"Ouch, that was my back," Hermione wailed.

"That was my elbow," Severus snapped.

"Stop bickering," Remus scolded.

"He started it," She spat.

"You may not be my student but-" he started.

"But nothing, your cutting remarks no longer hurt me," she spoke quietly. She was lying. He still liked to berate her when they convened for Order meetings in the summer, and they still hurt as much as when she was in school. She felt a hand on her shoulder. "What, Remus?"

"I didn't say anything," he replied.

"No, you've got your hand on my shoulder, what do you want?" she sighed. Remus double-checked he hands on the wall in front of him before replying.

"Sorry, I thought you were the wall," he said. He had had this conversation with Severus many nights over the past year. Severus squeezed her shoulder gently before letting go.

"Oh, for crying out loud, why must you two insist on stepping on me or knocking into me? I bruise easily." Hermione's patience was wearing thin at being cooped up.

"Sorry," both men mumbled to her. She sighed in frustration as she gave up and sat down on the floor between them. They both felt her go down and decided to follow her actions.

"For a former spy and a werewolf, you're both incredibly bad at coping without your sight," she growled as a knee from Remus on her right and an elbow from Severus on her left suddenly went into her sides. They mumbled more apologises as they made themselves comfortable. Hermione felt very aware of how close both men were to her but she felt comfortable with it. Remus was like a surrogate father to her anyway and Severus she respected for the danger that he use to put himself through.

"So what do we do now?" Remus asked the question on all of their lips. Hermione sighed as she put her feet up on the wall in front of her and lent back on the wall behind her.

"Plot revenge on the twins," she joked. She wasn't petty enough to do that.

"That's a good idea you have their, Miss Granger," Severus told her politely. Her heart skipped a beat at his remark. Had he just been nice to her? Remus smiled to himself, he knew he could do it if he tried and he was positive she would reciprocate if he tried hard enough.

"I was joking," she told him, flabbergasted that he was willing to pull a prank.

"I wasn't," he spoke with a fierce undertone. "I believe a few hexes may be in order to get them back." Remus could almost hear the cogs working in his brain as he plotted.

"How about the Singing Curse we placed on you in school?" Remus suggested with a chuckle. Severus would sing a song every half an hour and there was nothing he could do about it until it wore off after twenty-four hours.

"That's not enough," Severus growled as the memory came flooding back.

"There's a Dancing one as well," Hermione added, "A bunch of Slytherins thought it would be funny to see me make a fool of myself." She remembered that day clear as daylight. It was the first week back for her seventh year at Hogwarts but the laugh was on them. She didn't have two left feet as they thought she would, she had taken ballet as a little girl and was very aware of her body as a dancer. It was a discipline that had always stayed with her.

"We need more than that," Severus snapped, he wanted a full on war with the twins. It pained him to be so close to Hermione and not be able to hug her or touch her.

"You're a Potions professor, surely you must have some potions you can slip into their drinks," Remus suggested for him. He could feel his frustration building up and wasn't sure if it was a good thing or bad thing. Both men jumped when they heard what sounded like something being slapped.

"Urgh! For the love of all things magic, I can't believe we didn't think of this," Hermione suddenly stood up and with a pop she was gone. Remus laughed at the simplicity of it all while Severus could be heard scowling as he stood up.

They both appeared at Hermione's side in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place. All three of them were squinting at the unexpected light.

"I cannot believe how forgetful we all were," Severus snapped as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I have a plan," Hermione smirked as she moved to sit at the kitchen table. The next half an hour the three of them spent huddled over the table, discussing plans. They would strike the next morning, starting with the twins' morning cups of tea.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Severus smirked to himself as he let two drops of Veritserum fall in to the two cups of tea that Hermione held towards him. The twins came bounding just as he put the vial back into his pocket.

"Here you go," she told them cheerfully as she placed the cups down in front of them.

"Thanks," George replied before taking a sip. Fred looked at Hermione and then Severus.

"Wait a minute; didn't you two use Portkeys to go to the Ministry yesterday?" Fred asked politely before taking a sip of his tea.

"Yep, why do you ask?" Hermione gave them her best innocent face.

"Because we jinxed them and you shouldn't be here," George giggled before his hand shot to his mouth. Fred scowled as he punched George in the arm.

"_Petrificus Totalus,"_ Hermione and Severus spoke together with a flick of their wands. Both red heads instantly became stiff as a board with their arms and legs snapped together. They landed on the floor with a resounding thud.

"I see I'm just in time," Remus chuckled as he entered the room and saw Fred and George lay on the floor. "Who's going first?"

Twenty minutes later Fred and George left the house grumbling about how they'd been treated. Hermione did a high five with Remus and jumped on Severus to give him a hug. He felt himself stiffen while he had Hermione hanging from his neck. Remus simply winked at him while Hermione let herself drop to the ground before apologising to him.

"I believe Severus has something he's like to say to you," Remus informed her as he left the kitchen. She looked up at the dark haired man expectantly. He mentally cursed Remus for putting him in this position.

"I just wanted to apologise to you for my cruel comments over the years. I'm cruel to all students who aren't in my house; I had just assumed that they all expected them from me. It's the only way I can push students to do better," he waffled to her. She frowned at him before moving past him to leave the room. "Where are you going?"

"Your apology isn't sincere and you're lying. Remus has put you up to this and I'd rather you were truthful with me and give me cruel remarks about me as a person," she told him sadly as she finally left the room. He had never known anyone to read him so well. He had been lying but not for the reasons she thought.

He found her in the living room sat on a chair facing the window. He heard her sniff before roughly wiping her face; she was crying.

"Why are you so bitter?" she asked him without turning to face him. "Why are you still holding a grudge after all these years?" She's had enough, Harry had had enough, it was about time someone hit a raw nerve with him.

"Because they had in their lives what I've never had. Even now I still don't have it," his voice was icy but he was being honest with her. "I don't know what else to say, this is who I am." She got up and faced him.

"What is it you don't have?" she asked gently, hoping she wasn't crossing a mark.

"That is none of your concern," he hissed.

"Then stop taking your anger out on others. We did nothing to you, especially Harry. You hold such a strong vendetta against him and all he did was be born to your bully. He is _not_ his father," her voice was getting harsher with each word. "It's our concern when you insist on criticizing us because your heart has iced over." He blinked hard at how hard she had hit him with her words. She had tears streaming down her face, years of cruelty from him was bubbling to the surface. She held his gaze firmly and when he said nothing but scowled, she made to storm out.

As she moved past him he grabbed her by the elbow and pulled her back into the room.

"You have no idea of the life I've had to lead. You know nothing of the horrors I've seen. You have-"

"You've had a rough life, I understand. Now move on. There are people everywhere leading lives worse than yours, yet they smile and keep going. They fight rather than let it drag them down. I would have expected more from you, I was obviously wrong." She pulled her arm from his grasp while glaring at him.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. He was reeling from the shock of what she had just said, but he knew she was right.

"Don't be sorry. Just tell me why you felt the need to be so cruel to me when I was only trying to prove myself to you."

"Because I was jealous of you and at the same time respected you. You are extremely intelligent and I despised that you were accepted by your friends for being a bookworm. You had friendship and love; two qualities I've never experienced. All I can say is that I was a Slytherin and Slytherins are petty and hateful," he explained to her while holding her gaze.

"So it comes back to the grudge. Why won't you let it go?" she asked sadly.

"You remind me of Lily. She was just as intelligent as you but could always be found with Potter," he scowled. "She pitied me and I've seen that same pity in your eyes."

"You avoided my question."

"You all remind me of the torture I went through in school and when you have that as well as an unhappy home life, then you tend to hold grudges," he sighed. He looked down dejectedly. He had never let anyone know this much about him and it was draining him. He jumped a little when she gently took his left hand into both of hers.

"I've never pitied you," she told him truthfully as he looked into her eyes. "It was respect you saw. Respect at protecting Harry when you hated him so much. Respect for putting your life in danger for the great good. I'm not Lily, Harry isn't James, and Remus should have helped you; not that you would have accepted his help. This isn't your childhood anymore; you can lead your life now knowing you're safe and are accepted for who you are." Her heart was pounding as feelings began to stir in her. She felt honoured to have been trusted with his feelings.

Hermione gave his hand a gentle squeeze before letting go of it. They still held each other's gazes for a few moments.

"I was cruel to you for another reason when you graduated," he started. His throat was suddenly dry and his nerves started to take over at what he was about to say. Confusion was written all over Hermione's face. "For the past year I hated being near you. I hated it when I would have to sit next to you at the meetings. But I was also hurting………" He licked his lips to delay what he was trying to tell her. "I also hated it when you went back to you parents house." Her expression stayed blank. His heart skipped a beat in fright. "When you graduated, I realised that I had come to l-love you."

A silence immediately engulfed the living room as Hermione was registering what he was saying. She watched his eyes as a range of emotions swept through them. Her heart was beating quickly. He went to leave the room but she quickly grabbed his arm to stop him.

"Wait, I haven't said anything yet," she started.

"You don't need to, your silence said everything," he spoke quietly without looking at her.

"I care for you very deeply and…." She never finished her sentence as she pulled him down into a kiss. As Severus pulled away he leant his forehead on hers and sighed.

"But you don't love me," he whispered.

"Love comes with time. But what I do know is that when you told me how you felt you made me feel special, warm and safe," she told him. He smiled understandingly. For him it had started out as admiring her, not love. "Can you give me time?" He nodded gently before picking her up and swinging her round.

"When you two have quite finished, I'd like to go and watch our handiwork," Remus grinned at them as they turned to face him.

A crowd was milling outside the twins' shop. Hermione was the first one to make her way through and into the crowded shop. She gasped when she saw a scowling Fred on the counter in a dress with his hair in spikes. He was twirling and bowing while George sat on the side of the counter in smart robes singing.

"Hermione, have you seen? They do everything you ask them to," Harry yelled over the crowd to her as he made his way across. "I think they've been given Veritserum as well 'cause they've been confessing to every prank they've pulled."

Hermione smirked at him as Severus and Remus caught up to her. She turned round and gave Remus another high five and Severus a wink. Harry frowned at them before turning to face the twins. Hermione grinned to herself as felt Severus' hand slip into hers.


	6. Grown Up

**Disclaimer:** I feel like I'm going round in circles putting this up all the time. HarryJk Rowling.

**A/N: **Thanks to **Chantal J**, **PadfootsLuvr **and** SongOfStars**for again reviewing my last one. I get the feeling that you are the only people who read these. Oh well. Nice short one here about Molly Weasley. Kinda dreary too but...read on.

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**Grown Up**

Molly Weasley sat at the kitchen table at the Burrow staring into her now cold cup of tea. She felt lost. Her last baby, Ginny, had left home the day before to live with her fiancé, Harry. It was just Arthur and her now. No one to clean up after, no one to shout at when they were up to mischief and only two people to cook for.

She had always enjoyed the time she had during the term time and they were at Hogwarts, but at least they would be back for the holidays to keep her busy. Now all she had was flying visits from them. Who was she going to care for now?

"Good morning, dear. You're up early," Arthur cheerfully greeted her as he entered the kitchen. He walked over to the side and began to make himself a cup of tea.

"Who am I going to look after now?" she asked with a sigh.

"What do you mean?" Arthur questioned as he stopped what he was doing and went to sit with her. He took her hand into his. "What's wrong?"

"Our children have grown up and left. They don't need me anymore," her voice wavered a little as her bottom lip wobbled. "I have nothing to do, no one to fuss over." The floods of tears took over while Arthur giggled at the trivial problem.

"Molly, we've spent the better part of thirty years raising children and you're upset because you don't have to do it anymore."

"Don't ridicule me, Arthur," she snapped at him, "I loved every minute of bringing them up and now it's all gone."

"But now you've got all the time in the world to do what you want," he told her soothingly.

"I did when they were all at Hogwarts, but I always looked forward to the holidays when they would be home," she growled dangerously at him. He was stumped now; he wasn't sure what would lift her spirits. Then it hit him.

"There'll be grandchildren," he cooed sweetly. Her head shot up with a smile pulling at the corners of her mouth. "The children will need babysitters when they want to go out and have some time with their wives or husband." She had a broad smile across her face now.

"You're right; we mustn't waste any more time. At least two of the bedrooms need turning into nurseries," she told him excitedly as she stood up. "Come on, up."

"Why? Where are we going?" he asked as he stood up.

"To start clearing the bedrooms," she answered as she walked out of the kitchen.

"But no one's pregnant yet," he said quietly as he chased after her. He was just happy that she had now found something to do with herself.


	7. Moving On

**Disclaimer - **Look at previous chapters.

**A/N:** Thanks to my only reviewer, **Chantal J** you're the best-). This one is about Ginny and her feelings for Harry. That's it really.

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**Moving On**

I use to think that I would only ever like Harry. I remember the first time I saw him; he looked so lost and alone. It was then that my crush started. Besides, he was the famous boy who had defeated You-Know-Who, what girl wouldn't like him? Then when I started Hogwarts my crush got worse. I really liked him but he never looked at me.

Then I had to be stupid and get myself into a right mess. I felt so ashamed at the thought of Harry risking his life to save me. It should how silly and immature I had been and what boy would find that attractive?

In my second year I decided to keep my head down and concentrate on my schoolwork. I didn't want to cause mum and dad anymore worry and Harry was quite clearly not interested in me. But I still couldn't help liking him. It got me down sometimes that I couldn't get past this crush. I'd hope with all my heart that he would just pay me a little attention and not treat me like his best friend's little sister.

It was when he came to visit for the summer and go to the Quidditch World Cup that I realised I was finally getting over my crush. I didn't blush when he was around and I didn't go all shy. I think Hermione was a big help on that. We got to know each other a bit better when she arrived before Harry. I'd be lost without her as a friend now. But there was still something there though; a slight flutter whenever I saw him.

When the Yule Ball was announced and found out that people below the fourth year were allowed to be invited, then I thought he might invite me. I would be able to get the chance to show him that I could be more than the little girl he thought I was. Those hopes quickly faded. He had so many girls chasing after him.

Then Neville asked me. I wasn't completely ecstatic about going with him but he was a nice boy and it still meant I was able to go to the Yule Ball. I had given up on waiting for Harry to ask me and looked forward to going with Neville.

One day just before the Christmas holidays, Harry came into the common room looking defeated; Cho Chang had just turned him down. I felt sorry for him as he looked really down and fed up. I also felt really down as it was quite glaringly obvious how little Harry liked me. Then I felt even worse when Ron paired me up with Harry and I had to say no because I was going with Neville. My feelings were at an all time low when I admitted to them that I was going with Hermione's reject.

The Yule Ball came and went and I had a wonderful time. Everyone looked so nice and it was nice to be there. Slowly, I started to forget about my feelings for Harry. I started to see him as more of a friend. It stopped bothering me when I couldn't get his attention. I realised as the school year finished and that whole terrible thing happened with Harry, that I no longer had any trace of a crush on Harry. I had come to the realisation there were other boys out there who had taken notice of me and what Harry needed right now was a friend.

Getting over these feelings was like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I was no longer shy and timid. My confidence had started to build. I had finally moved on.


	8. Recovering

**Disclaimer:** I wonder if Ms Rowling has ever done fan fiction herself. It'd be funny to see where she goes with her own characters and to see if she has the other stories she's wanted to do with them. I'm rambling, it's all hers.

**A/N:** Thanks to **Chantal J, T'Lorie, SongOfStars **(you're the best, always reviewing my stuff) **and Purplereader **(you completely made my day with all your reviews, thank you soooo much), for reviewing my other one-shots. Love you all. Now this piece suddenly hit me this afternoon while I was desperately trying to avoid tidying my desk, so here's the product, hope you enjoy.

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**Recovering**

Hermione lay on her bed in Grimmauld Place sobbing uncontrollably while facing the wall. All her memories from the past year were finally catching up with her and now tearing her apart with grief. The war started on the day she was to return to Hogwarts for her final year. Her dad was telling her and her mother a joke as they had reached the barrier in King's Cross station that would lead them to the hidden platform when an explosion reverberated around the building. All three of them instantly spun round trying to find what the cause of it was and they didn't have to look far. She watched in horror as she saw Death Eaters making their way to the barrier while throwing aside any Muggles that got in their way with a flick of their wand. Some weren't even that lucky and were killed instantly.

"You have to run and hide," she managed to finally say to her parents with a shaky voice. She looked round as she took her wand out of her sleeve and saw a train further down platform ten, "Go get on that train and keep down." But they didn't move. They were frozen to the spot as they watched the Death Eaters near them. Before she could pull them to move another explosion deafened them, Hermione's heart skipped a beat in fear as she realised that the explosion came from just above them.

It all seemed to happen in slow motion as the brick pillar before them started to crumble down. Bricks were flying everywhere and hitting people that were in their path. She kicked and screamed as she felt a strong pair of hands wrap around her waist and pull her backwards. She tried shouting to her parents but she couldn't get the words out. The last thing she saw as she was pulled through the secret barrier was her parents being engulfed in bricks. She desperately tried to shout a spell to protect them yet she couldn't, it was as though her voice had disappeared.

She stared at the brick wall that was the entrance to Platform nine and three quarters as she was placed on to the floor. She turned in a stunned silence to find Remus Lupin saying something to her. She couldn't hear what he was saying, all she could hear was silence; there was chaos on the platform as she watched fellow pupils race on to the train and parents hastily kiss them goodbye. She turned away from Remus to race back out to where her own parents were, praying that by some miracle they were alive. She felt a hand grab her by the arm preventing her from getting through the barrier.

"Let me go," she cried as tears started to sting her eyes, "I have to help them." She felt him pull her sharply to him and hold her tightly till she finally gave up on struggling. She started to breakdown and as he held her.

"They won't have made it, Hermione," he spoke in a whisper into her ear. She felt as though her heart was going to stop beating it hurt that much.

"You should have helped them first," she wailed into his chest but holding on to him tightly, "Why couldn't I say a spell?" He looked around knowing that they would have to move soon. He shuffled towards the barrier with Hermione still holding on to him; he stuck his head through the entrance and found nothing but pandemonium. He glanced at the pile of rubble knowing that Hermione's parents were under it, after a few seconds looking for movement or any sign of them, he gave up. He scanned the surroundings to see anyone he recognised; no one, just Death Eaters. In one swift move, he pulled his head back and took Hermione's wand off her to seal the barrier.

Remus picked Hermione up and carried her onto the train, she felt numb and exhausted as she peered at her surroundings from his arms. She had no more tears to cry now and slowly was becoming unaware of what was going on around her. She felt herself being put down, someone talking to her, then nothing, nothing but black.

She woke up a couple of hours later to find she was still on the train and it was moving. She quickly sat up to find herself in a compartment with Harry, Ron and Ginny, who were sat opposite her. Harry moved to sit next to her and pulled her into a tight hug.

"I'm so sorry, Hermione," he spoke softly. She didn't say anything, couldn't say anything, she felt like she didn't know how to talk anymore. A single tear escaped her left eye but it would be the last one to come from her in nearly a year.

Hermione's final year of school passed with many events, good and bad. Voldemort and Death Eaters made many attempts to attack the school and Ministry and killing so many people with every attempt. She felt her heart harden every time she heard news of yet another friend was dead. She study hard and worked hard to protect her and what was left of her friends.

Members of the Order started to go missing; she could never work out if it was good news that their bodies hadn't been found. There was never a day where another death was announced in the paper or that more Muggles had been tortured but not killed.

Hermione could feel a cold setting in her soul and she wasn't the only one to feel it; others were becoming too scared to get attached to anyone for fear that they might have to face the pain of loss. She desperately wanted to distance herself from Harry and Ron, she didn't know if she could cope with another loss like her parents, but somewhere deep down a nagging feeling wouldn't let her.

Then one of the worst devastations of the war hit everyone in the middle of May. It was a Hogsmeade weekend and nearly everyone from the third year up was there enjoying the spring sun. No one had been expecting it and Albus thought Tom wouldn't be so foolish.

Nearly a third of the pupils there were killed, many injured, but wasn't it funny that not one Slytherin had been harmed in anyway? Aurors were there in a blink of an eye but not quick enough to prevent so many casualties. The Death Eaters and Voldemort were gone at the sight of so many Aurors, they didn't even bother to try and fight.

Hermione and Harry lost Ron that day and neither one shed a tear, they didn't know how to with such hatred flowing through their veins. Revenge was all they could think of, tears wouldn't bring him back. Ginny didn't have the strength to not cry and began to keep to herself.

Then the glorious day finally happened at Hogwarts at the end of July, Voldemort was killed by Harry's hand but the rush of relief Hermione felt at it being over was gone when a Death Eater got his revenge on Harry in return. She felt like her heart had been ripped out as she raced to Harry, he was dead before he hit the ground, and nothing she did would have prevented it. The intense hatred for all things linked to Voldemort and his followers that had been brewing within her for the past year hit the surface. She lost control of what she was doing as she knocked down Death Eater after Death Eater; death was too good for them, the Dementors could have them. No one dared go near her until she hit the last Death Eater in her sight with her final spell; Bill Weasley was the one to catch her as she started to fall to her knees but she refused to let any tears fall.

She moved around like a zombie for the next two days as she packed up her stuff in Hogwarts and was taken to Grimmauld Place by Mrs Weasley. Sirius had left the house to Harry in his will and until he was of age it was to be used as the meeting point for the Order. Who was it to go to now?

So there Hermione was, one week after Harry had died, sobbing uncontrollably, wondering how on earth she was going to recover from such devastation. Who was going to help her piece together her shattered heart? Who was going to hold her hand when she went to Harry's funeral? She'd had both Harry and Ron when she went to her parent's funeral, she had Harry when she went to Ron's, but now she had no one for when she went to Harry's tomorrow. Bill and Fred were all that was left of the Weasley's after the horrendous year and she wasn't close to them.

There was a gentle knock on the door but they didn't wait for an answer as they entered her room. She tried to control her sobs a little while she listened to them walk in and place something on the desk under the window.

"Hermione," she heard Remus' voice speak lightly and sorrowfully, "I've brought you some food." She didn't answer him or even turn to look at him. She suddenly felt him get onto the bed and his arm worked his way round her waist. He lay there with her and let her carry on crying. "I know what you're going through and I'm here whenever you need to talk." She gently squeezed the arm wrapped round her in acknowledgment.

Finally she felt her tears stop flowing and her sobs began to subside after what seemed like an eternity of crying. Hermione shifted herself as she turned to face Remus. Her cheeks were red and damp, her eyelashes glistening from her tears, and sorrow emanated from her brown eyes.

"I don't know how to keep going," she finally spoke, her voice hoarse, "I've never been alone before." He gently took her hand in his as he leant up on his other elbow.

"You're not alone, I'm here," he told her with a warm smile, "We'll get through this together and build our lives up once more." She smiled a little at his kindness.

"How?" she asked in a whisper. He was silent for a few minutes but it seemed hours to Hermione.

"I don't know, but we have to," he finally said with a hint of fear, "But you must remember that we're not alone. If we stick together, it'll get easier." She nodded in understanding as she left her heavy eyelids close. Remus kissed her tenderly on her forehead before getting up and leaving her to sleep.

Hermione got through the next day with the help of Remus, he stuck by her side and it was a great comfort to know that she wasn't alone. To Hermione's surprise Harry had done a will not long after Ron had died. Albus had explained to her that he didn't want the Dursleys to get the money his parents and Sirius had left him and was insistent on having a will. The house went to Hermione along with half the money he had, what was left of the money was to go to the Weasleys and Remus. The Invisibility Cloak went to Remus as well.

Finally the day ended and Hermione went to bed exhausted, hoping that it got better from now. And thankfully it did.

With the help of her brand new best friend, Remus, she sold her parent's house; she felt it would be left to go to ruins if she kept it. She packed up everything and decorated Grimmauld Place with it all, she couldn't leave anything behind, it was all she had left of her parents. She pleaded for Remus, Fred and Bill to move in with her; the house was huge and they only had each other now. They were grateful for the offer and wasted no time accepting it. Fred and Bill were sorry to leave the Burrow but it was also too painful to stay there, too many memories of their large family floating round.

A couple of months had passed since Harry's funeral when Hermione could be found in the kitchen reading a book Remus had bought for her birthday not too long ago. She was just about halfway through when she put it down and couldn't work out why. She was loving every sentence, every word; it was all so interesting, but she had this sudden urge to stop reading. There was something new that had happened without her knowledge yet it was now coming to her attention. She got up and started to walk round the house.

She found Bill and Fred playing exploding snap in the living room and Remus was scribbling away on a piece of parchment at his desk in his room. She paused at the doorway and watched him for a few seconds before moving on. She still hadn't figured out this revelation and it was starting to annoy her; it didn't usually take her this long to solve anything.

She got to her bedroom and looked at all the pictures she had on the walls. There were many of Harry and Ron laughing and waving at her, some were of the Weasleys, some of friends from Hogwarts taken through her seven years there and some of her mum and dad. Then realisation dawned on her; she smiled as she placed her hand over her heart.

Hermione almost ran back down the hallway to Remus' room and bounced on his bed in excitement.

"You're going to break my bed if you carry on," Remus playfully scolded as he continued to write, "Please stop before I hex you." She giggled at his silliness before finally sitting down at the edge of the bed. He finally stopped writing and turned to his left to face her, she was grinning like a fool and it was the first time he had seen her smile properly in a long time. "What is it?" The excitement seemed to be catching as he found a giddiness spread through him.

"It doesn't hurt anymore, Remus," she proudly announced. He frowned, completely lost at what she was saying. She laughed at his confusion, "Since Harry's death I've had this pain right here," she placed her hand over her heart again, "that wouldn't leave me alone, it was a reminder of losing Harry and Ron and my parents. But it's gone now, it doesn't hurt anymore." Remus leant forward on his knees and took both of her hands in his.

"Maybe your heart has finally healed its self from all that tragedy it's had to endure this past year," he offered as an explanation, "You've been through so much this year that you even surprised me when you managed to pick yourself up and keep going." She narrowed her eyes at him.

"What about all those times you said that I was strong and never let anything keep me down?" she questioned with mock outrage. He smirked as he moved to sit next to and placed an arm round her shoulder. He leant towards her mischievously with his eyes sparkling.

"I was lying," he whispered into her ear before she hit him playfully in the gut. He laughed as he got his breath back, "But now it means I can do this," he placed a quick kiss on her lips before carrying on, "without feeling as though I'm taking advantage of a heartbroken young woman." She mocked outrage before aiming for another punch in his gut but she lost when he moved forward and kissed her with all the passion he could muster.

"You know," Hermione breathed when she pulled away, "I may have to hurt you very badly now. I know a few good curses." He eyed her up and was sure that she probably did too. Finally seriousness appeared on his features.

"But are those curses being aimed at a very good friend or possibly, just maybe, in the slightest chance, are they being aimed at your………..boyfriend?" he asked with the last word coming out as a squeak.

"Definitely my boyfriend," she reassured him with a grin, "because my very good friends don't get a head start while I get my wand." Hermione shrieked as she jumped up and raced out of the room with Remus hot on her heels to stop her finding her wand.


	9. What's Next?

**Disclaimer: **Nope, still don't ownHarry and never will.

**A/N: **Thank you to all the people who have reviewed my previous one-shots. This is a HP/HG one and I hope you all enjoy.

**Dedicated to mysteriousneptune17

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**

**What's Next?**

Harry sat on a pile of rubble in the middle of the High street of Hogsmeade; Voldemort was gone and it was all thanks to him. It had been nearly an hour ago that he had defeated his arch nemesis and he'd been sat there ever since. He couldn't even remember how he'd done it; there wasn't even room in his mind to think about it. Only one thought was allowed in his mind and that was: 'Voldemort was gone'. He wasn't even aware of the celebrations and mourning taking place around him. A few people had checked he was alright and praised him, but all he could manage was a smile for them.

Finally a new thought managed to get into his brain, it had a difficult journey getting there but it got there none the less, and it was: 'Where were Hermione and Ron?' Snapping out of his daze he jumped up and scanned his surroundings. There was people he knew, people he didn't, people hugging and crying, people searching the rubble and people like how Harry had been; just sitting there. But no Hermione or Ron.

Not sure where to start Harry began walking down the street. While searching through the crowds for them, random people would stop him to thank him, hug him, kiss him or in some women's cases they would just downright snog him.

He was getting frustrated as no one seemed to know where Ron and Hermione were. Eventually his tears took over and he couldn't help but breakdown as he reached the edge of Hogsmeade. All he could keep thinking were that they were dead. It felt like his heart was breaking at the thought of never seeing them again as he rocked on his knees.

"Harry?" His heart skipped a beat when he heard the familiar voice, he looked up and relief soared through him when he saw Hermione. "Where've y-" She wasn't able to finish her sentence as Harry jumped up and knocked the air out of her lungs with a bear hug. Feeling completely elated he had now picked her up and swung her round. "Harry, put me down," she giggled. Much to her relief he put her down and held her at arms length with a wild grin pasted on his face.

"Where's Ron?" he asked quickly.

"He's at the Three Broomsticks with the rest of the Order," she told him with a smile that made her eyes dance, "We'd been trying to get you to join us in the celebrating but you were in a world of your own. And then you disappeared." Harry's smile got wider at the relief of knowing everyone was alive. "Come on, everyone's waiting to bow down to you," she joked while she started to pull him back into Hogsmeade.

"Wait!" he breathed. Something had just fallen into place for him. It had been building up for the past year but he ignored it with fear over Voldemort taking its place. But it had just become clear with a beautiful smile off Hermione.

"What is it?" Hermione asked with a look of concern. He looked into her eyes for a moment before pulling her into another hug. "You're worrying me," she whispered into his neck.

"I love you, Hermione," he whispered back into her ear.

"I love you too," she replied before pulling away to look at him. He was shaking his head causing dust to fall from his messy hair.

"No, I don't mean as a friend," he told her sincerely while he held her hands tightly. She frowned in confusion but it only took a few seconds for her eyes to widen in realisation.

"Really?" she asked shakily with tears filling her eyes. Harry nodded excitedly; a flutter of hope ran through him from her reaction. "Oh, Harry!" She flung her arms round his neck and almost choked him.

"Air's becoming an issue, Hermione," he gasped. She jumped back and they stared at each other while letting this new information sink in. Finally Harry moved forward slowly and kissed her softly; everything was actually starting to feel right in his life. He pulled away and before either one could get their breath back Harry spoke quickly, "Marry me!" Hermione gasped and he'd even shocked himself at his abruptness, but it felt right somehow.

He waited on baited breath for her answer and she didn't keep him waiting as she began vigorously nodding a yes to him.

"I never want you out of my site," she scolded playfully, "You've broke my heart enough these past couple of years, I'm not about to let you do it anymore." Harry feigned outrage at the accusation. He pulled her close as they began to make their way to the Three Broomsticks.

"How've I broken your heart?" Harry questioned with a gentle squeeze of the shoulders.

"I've loved you for nearly two years and you never listened whenever I tried to tell you. But then I suppose you had bigger things to worry about." Harry nodded his head. "Then there's all the times you've had me worried with all the near death incidents," Hermione poked him in the side as she said the last bit to get her point across. Harry smiled sheepishly and felt a little guilty for being so ignorant of how she'd been feeling.

"But it was all for a good cause in the end though," Harry smiled as she nodded at him.

"Finally told him?" a familiar male voice shouted to them a few metres ahead. Harry laughed when he saw Ron waving frantically at them outside the pub. "You've been blind as a bat, mate, you know that?" Ron joked as they reached him. "I was going to clobber you one if I found Hermione in tears again from trying to tell you." Harry tried to mumble his excuse to a grinning Ron but Hermione took over for him.

"We're getting married," she announced with a giggle to Ron.

"Bloody hell, Harry, the girl only wanted you to love her back, not your hand in mar-oof!" Ron choked from the jab in the stomach off Hermione. Harry chuckled as he put a hand on Ron's shoulder.

"Best man?" Harry asked him.

"Of course," Ron wheezed as he straightened up and got his breath back, "You're a dangerous woman, Hermione, you know that?" But she didn't get chance to answer as he pulled them into a big hug. As he pulled away he smiled at them, "I'm happy for you both but remember, there will always be three in this marriage-"

"Keep dreaming, Ron," Hermione smiled sweetly as she spoke.

"-I'm to be at all major occasions, like Christmas with my future family. Also I'm to be godfather to all children you may have," he finished with a mock stern look.

"Anything else?" Harry and Hermione asked in unison.

"Yeah, you best get in there," Ron jerked his head at the pub, "so we can all bow down to our saviour."


	10. Nothing Else Matters

**Disclaimer: **Not mine all Ms Rowlings!

**A/N: **Thank you to everyone who reviewed all my other one-shots, it always makes my day to get a review. Big hugs to you all. Now this thing here is a **HG/RL** but ignoring the sixth book as I'd wrote a while ago after I'd been listening to a rather thought provoking song. I must warn you all that I haven't checked properly all my grammar and spelling (which is just plain lazy, I know) and I didn't send it to my beta because I didn't want to bother her with an insignificant piece of fan fic. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy.

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**Nothing Else Matters**

Hermione was sat in the kitchen of her house, silent tears streaming down her face. It had been nearly a week since she'd graduated from Hogwarts. Nearly a week since Harry had killed Voldemort. Nearly a week since she'd bared her heart to him. Nearly a week since he'd given her false hope.

Why had he been so cruel? Why did he have to make her feel something? Why did it have to be him she loved? These questions had been going over in her head all since he'd rejected her. He'd just kissed her and expected her to forget it, to forget him? She couldn't, the pain had been unbearable when he told her it would never happen.

She looked around the kitchen, looking for something to keep herself occupied and thankful that her parents were at work. She didn't want them to see their daughter like this. She roughly wiped her face with the sleeve of her cardigan but more tears slipped down her cheeks. Her blurry eyes fell on the dishes in the sink. She went to clean them using magic but decided against it, maybe doing it the Muggle way would take her mind off him for a little while.

Hermione watched the sink fill up with water and bubbles as she felt her flow of tears slowly stop. She hated being like this, hated the fact that someone could reduce her to this. As she washed the dishes, she felt the therapy of wiping each plate clean wash over her. Her tears finally stopped and a plan to keep herself busy until she made herself forget about him had formed.

Feeling like she could now get through the rest of the day with no more tears, she flicked her wand of the dishes which caused them all to disappear and appear in their rightful places in the cupboards. As she put her wand away, the doorbell rang. Strange, she wasn't expecting anyone and it was a strict rule of her parents that visitors had to phone before they arrived at the house. The minute she opened the door, she wished she hadn't.

"Go away," she tried to sound tough but her voice broke and her lip wobbled. Just as she tried to slam the door shut, he stepped forward so she couldn't.

"I have to talk to you, I couldn't leave you like that," Remus Lupin spoke softly as he kept a firm hand on the front door, "Please, let me in." Not having the energy to fight, she pointed to the door on her left; the living room.

"Please, just say your peace and go," she instructed him as she followed him into the living room. He shuffled slightly while running his left hand nervously through his greying hair. He looked how she felt.

"I'm sorry for being so harsh, I never meant for it to come out the way it did. But you have to understand, Hermione, it would never work," Remus told her gently. She felt tears stinging her eyes as anger flood through her.

"So that's it? You've come here to rub salt further into the wound?" she growled dangerously at him. "You made it perfectly clear last time I saw you, I didn't need reminding!"

"Hermione, I-"

"Just stop making excuses and go!" she snapped as she turned to open the living room door for him to leave.

He hesitated a little before saying, "I can't, you have to know why."

"I already know why, just please leave me alone," she sniffed before looking down at the floor; it was too painful to look him in the eye.

"No you don't," he whispered as he stepped towards her. Her head snapped up to meet his gaze.

"Remus, you couldn't have put it any plainer that you don't love. But why do you keep insisting on making a fool out of me?" she demanded of him as she desperately tried to keep her voice steady. He looked stunned at her words.

"I never meant to make you feel like a fool," he told her so quietly that she wasn't sure if he'd said anything at all.

"Then why did you kiss me?" she asked as she let go of the door and moved towards him.

"Because I love you," he told her honestly, "It's not going to work because I'm a werewolf. Because I'm much older than you. Because I have nothing to give you, Hermione." Tears were now forming in Remus' eyes. He would love nothing more than to be with her, but he couldn't allow it. He would ruin her life.

She moved so close to him that he could smell her body lotion, her perfume, the shampoo she'd used; all the scents that made Hermione. He was close enough to touch but she knew if she run her finger along his jaw line or straightened the collar of his shirt he would run away now.

"All I want from you, Remus, is your love. I knew you were a werewolf yet I still love you. My father is fourteen years older than my mother. Your excuses aren't valid in my eyes, but if they hold up to you, then leave now," she instructed as she tried to stifle the sobs that threatened to rack her body.

Remus sighed while trying to control his own tears; he had to be strong, for her sake. He took one last look at her before moving past her and out of the living room. She waited for the front door to close before finally breakdown. She wrapped her arms around herself while standing in the middle of the room sobbing her heart out.

"I can't do it," Remus spoke from behind her. She spun round to see him standing in the doorway. "I'm too selfish to walk out. I love you so much it hurts."

Before another word could be said, Hermione was in his arms and holding on for dear life. She'd been hoping for this and in those brief few moments she'd thought he'd gone, she thought she'd die from heartache.

"Promise me one thing," he instructed as he pulled her away and held her at arms length, "Don't ever let me hold you back, you must leave me before that happens." She shook her head.

"I have no intentions of every leaving you, no matter what!"


	11. A Surprise Rescue

**Disclaimer: (**sobs into laptop) He'll never be mine, he'll always be Rowling's!

**A/N: **This is a short one-shot I wrote a couple of months ago and found it again. I wrote it as though HBP doesn't exist...I think I was still recovering and in denial. Anyhoo, enjoy.

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**A Surprise Rescue**

It was a quaint little street Lucius Malfoy had appeared on. No more than twelve houses, six on each side of the street, and all exactly the same as the next. Each one had its own piece of fenced off garden with a garage and car to the side. Of course, Lucius was bewildered at how people could live in such little buildings.

He frowned in distaste, just standing there was almost as sitting down to dinner with a Muggle. He silently praised the night sky that no one knew he was here except one person. Wrapping his cloak around himself, causing him to look like nothing more than a shadow, Lucius proceeded down the street.

He scowled as he came to a stop outside the house numbered six. The gate swung open before Lucius reluctantly made his way down the garden path to the front door that was pretending to be made of oak. Did these people have no class at all?

'Alohomora,' he muttered under his breath. The door slowly swung open allowing him access to a narrow hallway with the stairs on the left. Quickly and quietly Lucius walked up the stairs and came to four doors once he reached the top. He cursed inwardly at having to guess the door, time was of the essence.

Speedily scanning each door Lucius found his clue to the right door in the form of a nameplate. Without hesitation he walked into the bedroom of Hermione Granger. Within the blink of an eye he was at her bedside and firmly pulling her out of it with an expensively gloved hand covering her mouth. He suddenly paused while Hermione continued to fight against him; he could hear low conversation coming from downstairs from people entering the house. It was time to leave.

'Miss Granger, if you would kindly not scream while I get my wand then you may just live,' Lucius whispered into her ear. She could hear the smirk in his voice. Fearing for her parents' lives she obediently complied.

Hermione closed her eyes tightly as she felt the familiar sensation of Apparating. '_Why her?_' was all that kept going round in her mind. The sensation stopped and her kidnapper let go of her, seizing the opportunity she spun round to punch him, but a firm grip caught her wrist.

'Open you eyes, Miss Granger,' Lucius spoke smugly; he was pleased at a job well done. Hermione gingerly opened her eyes and found a smirking Lucius Malfoy towering over her.

'I should have known it was you,' she pouted. She was desperate to hurt him, but he had his wand, she didn't. Plus he still had a firm grip on her wrist.

'Yes, well anything for my freedom,' he spoke with disdain.

'What do y-….freedom?'

'Yes, freedom,' he told with a hint of annoyance, 'now run along, your friends are waiting for you downstairs.' He pulled off the hood to his cloak to reveal his long white hair tied back in a black bow.

'I'm confused,' she frowned as she looked around at her surroundings, they were familiar to her, 'what exactly is happening?'

Lucius sighed in frustration as he threw his cloak onto a bed Hermione recognised. He looked around the room as though looking for inspiration to continue with the conversation.

'What is happening, _Miss Granger_, is that Death Eaters are roaming through your house looking to kill you and your parents. They shall find neither as you are here irritating me and your parents are tucked away in a safe little place that only Dumbledore knows about.' His eyes had narrowed at Hermione as though it was to challenge her to ask more questions. Hermione opened her mouth to speak but he beat her to it. 'Do not think for one moment that I did this for you. You were merely a means to an end.'

'Grimmauld Place!' she blurted out in response as she finally realised that she was in Ron and Harry's bedroom.

'Well spotted, I now see why they speak so highly of your intelligence,' Lucius spoke sarcastically while sitting down in a chair at the end of Ron's bed. 'Now, leave me be, you're polluting my air.' Hermione huffed in outrage to the door but froze as her hand touched the handle. Slowly she forced herself to turn back round and face Lucius, damn her parents for forcing manners on her.

'I know you saved me for your own selfish reasons, but…' she paused before dashing over to him and kissed himsoftly and quickly on the cheek before he could stop her. 'Thank you.' Then she left him in stunned silence.

After a few moments a sly smile spread across his face, those were definitely great perks to earning his freedom.


	12. A Monthly Thing

**Disclaimer: **You all know the score.

**A/N:** Thanks to all who reviewed my last one-shot, big hugs to you. Now this nonsense here is a comedy one...and I say comedy loosely. It was based on a drawing I saw, but FF don't like us to put links, so if you would like to see it, then email me. So big thanks go to my beta who helped me thrash this into shape, **peanuts107. **So here it is, hope you like.

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**The Monthly Thing**

Severus threw treats at the owl delivering the letter before glancing over the seal; it was from the Lestranges. Why would they be writing a letter to him? He'd seen them the previous evening….unless…..surely not. A small smile crept on to his lips as he tore open the envelope. Yes it was! He threw the letter on to his desk and flexed his fingers in excitement; it was about time this day arrived! He'd had no excitement since, well, when he'd bumped off Dumbledore.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

'I can't believe it's here already,' Lucius Malfoy spoke lazily as Narcissa brushed off invisible dust from his black cloak. (But wait, he was in his Manor, not prison. I shall explain, for you see, Lucius is sneaky and managed to sexily smirk his way out of Azkaban.) 'We only just did that last one.' Narcissa handed him his cloak with a small smile before checking her hair over in the mirror.

'I don't see why I have to go,' Draco pouted. 'It's so dull.'

'Come now, Draco, it's not that bad. If I recall, you enjoyed it last time,' Lucius sniggered before checking his appearance in the mirror above the fireplace.

'Besides, I'm going to be there this time, I'll look after you.' Narcissa fussed over her son before glancing at her own appearance in the mirror again.

'Mother, I'm old enough to look after myself!'

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Voldemort was sat at his desk in some hidden lair that we shall know nothing about. An owl of the big and fluffy variety had delivered a letter to him some hours ago with the Lestrange's seal on it. Yes, you're right, he had been staring at it all that time. It wasn't Harry Potter that would be the death of him; it was going to be what was contained in that letter. But you and I both know, it wouldn't be that simple, however, Voldemort didn't.

He rubbed his overly smooth head to check that no hair was daring to show itself, the upkeep of the baldness was murder. Anyway, he opened the letter to confirm his suspicions right; it was the Monthly Thing.

He sighed and debated whether to go or not. Every month, without fail, there was always fighting, cursing and screaming bloody murder, but that was neither here nor there as it was done before he left his lair (that we shall know nothing about; still).

'Best go, I have to keep them in order,' he spoke to himself, as he often did when his followers were off pretending to be nice wizards. 'Curses on you, Bella! Why must you insist on this!' And thus began the cursing bit of his fighting, cursing and screaming bloody murder.

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'Bella, I can't believe we have to do this…..AGAIN!' roared Rabastan Lestrange with a flick of his hair that may have been a little too feminine. (As we all know, the Lestranges escaped prison with thanks to Voldemort going to Azkaban and saying to the Dementors, 'Join us, we have cookies….and oh yeah, bring me Death Eaters too while you're at it!' And so the Dementors gloomily took the offer.)

'Roddy, sort your witch out!' Rabastan yelled to Rodolphus who was making snacks in the kitchen. Bella rolled her heavy lidded eyes before smirking like a naughty girl at him, which she was anyway…a naughty girl that is.

'You're just having a whinge because that five year old girl next door had you crying on the floor this morning,' Bella reminded him about the painful event that shan't be discussed at this moment in time. Rabastan huffed and puffed but didn't blow the house down as he flung himself across the couch dramatically.

'I'm telling you, that girl is possessed, you just wait, I will be proved right,' he spoke with his arm flung across his eyes. Bella ignored him as she went back to reading the rather interesting article on how one could torture a victim and maintain that beautiful look all at the same time.

'For pity's sake, could you not sort the table out, they'll be here soon,' Rodolphus whined as he came out of the kitchen into the living with a frilly apron on that didn't look entirely wrong on him. It must run in the family to be slightly feminine. A line of trays with delicious looking snacks followed him out of the kitchen and flew over to the table awaiting their presence.

'Roddy, why do you do it? We can't use Legilimens so what is the point in this?' Rabastan pouted as he sat up to await Rabastan's answer. And on a side note, it makes you wonder how Rabastan came to live with his brother and his wife; did he not have his own place? But it is a question that can never be answered, so back to the story.

'You know you enjoy it, Rab, admit it,' Rodolphus teased him. Rabastan threw himself back down on the couch like the girl he seemed to be turning into, but who am I to say, I'm only writing what I saw. So the doorbell rang thus causing all three Lestranges to look upon the direction of the front door down the hallway.

'Finally, thought they would never get here,' Rabastan squealed as he jumped, I told you he was becoming a girl.

'Would you like a dress to go with that squeal?' Bella seemed to have cottoned on to it too. 'Go and let them in then.' Bella instructed as she lazily flicked her wand and a round table appeared out of no where before sitting itself down in the middle of the room. Rabastan practically flew down the hallway.

'I knew he loved it,' Rodolphus whispered to Bella before they sat themselves at the table. Bella looked pointedly at the apron and then at Rodolphus.

'You leave that on and you shan't be having any offspring to pass down your cooking knowledge,' she threatened, which is what she seemed to do a lot of, with her being a naughty girl and all that. In the quickest of movements, the apron was gone, and just in time, as their guests were now entering the living room.

Now, imagine if you will, and I do insist you do, it'll help for the scenes that will follow. We have Bella sat down with Rodolphus on her left and Severus Snape taking a seat on her right. Rabastan sat down on next to Rodolphus and Voldemort next to Rodolphus…..are you with me so far? Good. So Narcissa sat next to Voldemort as she brushed off some invisible dust from Voldemort's shoulders; are we seeing an obsession forming here? Draco, being the softy that he is, sat by his mother and Lucius finally sat down between Draco and Severus. There, all done with the seating, you may breathe a sigh of relief now.

Once seated at the round table, no not _the_ round table, just _a_ table that happened to be round, they all leant forward in a conspiratorial manner. They glanced to the neighbour on their left, they glanced to the neighbour on their right and finally they glanced to the others at the table.

'Tonight,' Bella spoke darkly, her eyes looking round wildly, 'we will-'

'Er, when do we eat?' Voldemort asked, finally putting to rest the arguments Narcissa had been having with Lucius about how the Dark Lord must need his nourishment to keep up his Dark Lordishness.

Bella shook her head, her dark hair whipping into Snape and Rodolphus' eyes, 'Soon, now can I finish?' Voldemort waved his hand in dismissal before they all returned to their leaning on the table positions with dark and evil looks on their faces. 'Okay, tonight, we will….' She paused to give a dramatic effect like naughty people like to. 'We will be….' Another pause. 'Playing Poker!' she gushed as the table suddenly had light upon them to show it wasn't dark and deadly deeds they would be doing on this rather warm evening. Everyone sunk back with a groan.

'I'm so bad at Poker,' Draco groaned which got him a seriously wicked look off his Aunty. 'Hit me!' Draco proclaimed to his father with a slap of the table. Lucius raised a perfectly plucked eyebrow (they were bushy, it needed to be done to give him the elegant feel) at his son before throwing a rather large bag of Galleons at him, then another to his wife.

So Bella began to deal out the cards while the rest of the table brought out their loot and poured it onto the table. Some neat piles of gold coins were made while we quite happily skip into the future that is later that night and the last game for the month.

And so, I must describe the scene once more; feel free to hold your breath while I do. We shall start with Severus who was feeling rather smug with himself, as always at this time of the month. He had a very large and very neat collection of Galleons sat before him, an excellent round of cards in his hand and small little smile playing on his lips.

Narcissa had a pile of gold in front of her that wasn't too small from when she'd started, not too bad a night for her. But to be honest, she hadn't been really paying attention, her nail was chipped and she was dying to have a good old bite on it with her not having her spare file on her person. She took another glance at her cards (not bad), then at her nail (appalling, she hoped the Dark Lord hadn't seen) and then to see what Draco had (appalling, she hoped the Dark Lord hadn't seen…oh wait, that's what she thought about her nail. Give me a moment…no, they _were_ appalling and she _did_ hope the Dark Lord hadn't seen).

'These cards SUCK! I want new ones,' Draco demanded like a child. You see, this is what happens when a mother keeps you on a child leash but that's another story and another picture to imagine.

Now in front of Draco sat three measly gold coins, he couldn't have even bought himself a new silk shirt with that (but he could have bought the Burrow if he so wished and got some change). He had a frown all over his face and his cards really did suck. Narcissa hearing her son's cry for help knew exactly what to do. 'Lucius? Get Draco some new cards, will you?' she commanded before looking pleadingly at that buggering nail. But her instruction fell of deaf ears which brings us to Lucius' goings on at his part of the table.

Lucius was sat with his cards tucked neatly towards his lovely broad chest that was really quite muscular considering that the most energetic thing he did was puff it out, but I digress. So, he had his cards (which weren't the best he'd had) at his chest and a suspicious look upon his face as he glanced at Severus (with his mountains of Galleons and good cards). Lucius only had two minute piles of gold before him, definitely not a winning night for him.

And so that moves us to the naughty girl (yes I know she's a woman, but I like to say naughty girl….not entirely sure why) sat on the other side of Severus. Bella had been watching his growing gold with eagle eyes all night, something wasn't right. She had a small, but respectable, pile of gold before her, she hadn't lost a lot and she hadn't won a lot either. No, Severus couldn't possibly have stuck to the rule.

'You know,' she whispered to Severus as she poked Rodolphus in the eye for the fifth time to stop him peeking. ('Hey! OW! I wasn't looking!' he wailed, but you and I know differently.) 'We _all_ agreed not to use Legilimens, Snape,' she snapped.

'I am well aware of this, Bellatrix,' Severus spoke smugly not taking his eyes of his gloriously wonderful cards.

Meanwhile, as Rodolphus got poked, in the eye that is (minds out of the gutter please), he had some ordinary cards that wouldn't get him anywhere in the game. There were five Galleons scattered in front of him and he was sure to lose them in this last game. But what he hadn't noticed while the poking of the eye was going on was that Rabastan was taking a good old look at his brother's cards and sneakily arranging his own to suit. He seemed to be in the same boat as Bella, small pile, had won a little…and lost a little, but a better night than last month….which shall not be spoken about as that's another story.

And last, but most certainly not least, in fact, no where near to that title of least….or so he thinks, was sat Voldemort with a most respectable bunch of cards in his bony hands. He'd had some good wins this month and lost nothing, and was sat with a protective arm around his lovely gold. He took a glance at this small bunch of followers and looked down at his cards with a superior expression upon his unhealthily white face.

'You all are the biggest cheaters ever, I swear,' Voldemort finally announced upon the table in disgust before laying down his royal flush upon the table.

'I don't believe it!' Rabastan declared while throwing down his cards, 'I was just getting my two pairs together!' Much more mumbling, groaning, whining and whinging ensued as the group sulkily watched their leader gather up his winnings.

The rest of the evening travelled along more amicably as Voldemort tucked into the grub and Draco took great pleasure in making Bella's hair turn wild and red. And as the evening came to an end proclamations were made of them doing it again the following month and that Rodolphus must simply give Voldemort the recipe for his lasagne. Everyone said their goodbyes and that now brings me to my goodbye. This, my friends, was the Monthly Thing, may we see you again next month.


	13. Day Moon

**Disclaimer: **Maybe if I say it is mine then it will be...that's just wishful thinking, it's always belonging to her, O Great One that she is.

**A/N: **So this is a bit of nonsense I wrote from a prompt that simply said 'Write about a Day Moon'. So courtesy of my good friend **Peanuts107** giving me the idea, this is what happened. I just thought it would work with Ginny for some reason...even though it should be Tonks. Hope you enjoy. Thanks to everyone who reviewed my last one-shot.

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**Day Moon**

Remus looked at this watch while sitting in the living room of the Burrow. He had at least six hours before transformation; he wrinkled his nose in disgust at the thought of the Wolfsbane potion waiting for him at home. He sank back into the couch wondering if anyone was around to play chess with. Ginny picked that exact moment to enter the room from the kitchen.

'Ginny, how about-' he stopped at the frantic shaking of her head while she tried to get her breath back. 'What is it?' He jumped up and pulled her over to the couch.

'Wolfsbane- now- eclipse- coming- four- minutes!' she gasped out between gulps of air. The colour drained from his face as he realised he'd not been checking up on his eclipse chart. 'REMUS!' she screamed frantically before grabbing his hand and Disapparated with him to his house.

Once in his house Remus got his senses back and raced out of his living room into the hallway and then up the stairs to his bedroom. 'Leave now!' he called to Ginny who he could hear following him up the stairs. She couldn't help it; she had to make sure he got his potion.

Panic filled Remus when he found the potion wasn't where he thought it was. He practically knocked Ginny over as he raced out of his bedroom and into the next room; his study. Darkness suddenly came over the house and Remus felt the first pain of transformation cut through him.

Ginny followed him into the study and saw him collapse. She frantically spun round looking for the potion; she found it on his desk. 'LEAVE!' he shouted in a voice so primal it shocked her to know it'd come from him. Ignoring him, she stepped over him and grabbed the bottle of Wolfsbane; it was too late. His transformation was complete.

Dread coursed through Ginny like a deadly poison and when she went to Apparate she found her wand was missing. She'd dropped outside Remus' bedroom when he bumped into her. She raced past the werewolf while he got his senses together and found her wand just a few feet away on the landing.

It all happened so quickly, he leaped and took Ginny down with such a force that she was knocked unconscious on landing. Licking his lips with delight, the werewolf readied to take his first bit of human flesh.

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Remus groaned as consciousness tickled the edge of his mind. He rolled over, or tried to but something warm was preventing him. His eyes shot open and he found himself facing Ginny with blood trickling down her face. Blind panic hit him as he scrambled up and rolled the lifeless woman on to her back.

'Please, no,' he begged as he hurriedly checked every inch of her for a bite mark.

'OW!' Ginny suddenly yelped causing Remus' heart to skip a beat. 'Stop!' She swatted his frantic hands away before slowly opening her eyes. 'My head hurts.' Tears of relief stung Remus' eyes while realisation that the blood was coming from a cut on her cheekbone dawned on him.

'That was too close,' he wept as he bundled Ginny into a bear hug. 'I couldn't have lived with myself if I'd bitten you.' Much to Ginny's chagrin he suddenly held her back at arms length and shook her slightly with each word. 'How could you have been so stupid? I told you to leave!' Tears were spilling over his eyes, anger mixed with relief that he'd changed back before he could bite her.

'Remus,' she wailed and gingerly put a hand to her head, 'you're hurting me.' He froze to look at her, tears falling from her eyes. She gingerly sat up and touched her cut before looking at him. 'I couldn't leave you. I needed to make sure you were safe.' She smiled unsurely, her head throbbing.

You could have been killed!' Remus snapped causing her to flinch at his harshness. She looked around for her wand and picked it up before standing up. She looked back down at Remus before kneeling down to him and placing a hand on his cheek.

'I love you, that's why I stayed,' Ginny told him softly. She didn't wait for a response, she was just glad to have told him. She smiled and Disapparated. It would now be Remus' choice if anything was to happen.


End file.
